Health Protection Agency

The PA Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response (HPA) is recognized as an international leader in the understanding and assessment of microbiological hazards. HPA performs research into microbiological hazards for the UK's Department of Health as well as providing diagnosis & reference facilities and emergency response capabilities for the United Kingdom. The HPA has proven research experience in the study of hazard group 3 and 4 viruses, bacteria, rickets and toxins currently list as BW agents. The HPA contains the UK National Collection of Pathogenic Viruses, which has established a securely stored facility of molecularly and biologically authenticated hazard group 3 and 4 viruses. The Wellcome Trust and the UK Office of Science and Technology sponsor this laboratory unit. Since 1974 the HPA has housed the main UK Biocontainment level 4 facilities established for research, diagnosis and surveillance of BSL-4 agents. The Special Pathogens Reference Laboratory is part of the European Network For Imported Viral Diseases (ENIVD) and World Health Organisation collaborating network of high containment facilities.
HPA will provide advice and consultation on the use of robotic arms to perform tasks within Class III microbiological Safety Cabinets to improve operator safety and to streamline biological processes conducted at high biological containment. The Biosafety group at HPA has unique capabilities in the fields of aerobiology, biocontainment and gaseous disinfection, with over five decades of experience in biocontainment and biosafety testing.

www.hpa.org.uk